High Powered Burner Laser Pointers and the Second Ammendment.

fenix-store
No no no. Not cool. On so many levels.
With all of those kooky kids shooting up schools? To give them access to eye searing lasers? What could possibly go wrong with that? Oh hellnaw.

Those nasty anarchists were using them on police in Sattle back in 2020. Many of whom have permanent eye damage to this day.
www.newsweek.com

LAPD Officer Blinded By Laser, a Weapon of Increasing Concern For Police

Father-of-two Kyle Rice has been left unable to drive after being attacked with a laser amid growing concern the devices are becoming a weapon of choice against police.
www.newsweek.com www.newsweek.com
Just one of many articles back then.

I'm big on the second amendment but there are some things the citizenry should not be allowed to own. Black Hawk helicopters, Sherman tanks, truck mounted 50 caliber machine guns and eye searing lasers to name a few.
 
I am not in U.S. and not affected by the "2nd", nevertheless, legitimate defense (self and others) aside, laser as weapon is problematic on several levels; as others have said.

My experience with lasers is mostly limited to Class I laser pointers, and having worked for a couple of optical communications companies, safe use of laser components used in optical systems (had mandatory training for this).

From technical point, I recall back when high-power green laser pointers started appearing, a balloon could be popped by these but only after blackening with marker to help absorption. There will be lots of variables in a "weapon" scenario such as wavelength and colour/reflectivity of the target. Along with inability to predict possible unintended consequences for both shooter and target, this usage is not worth all the problems it is likely to create.

Any laser powerful enough to cause burn damage i.e. above Class IIIA in NA is subject to controls/restrictions which an ordinary citizen may not meet; and unauthorized use is not recommended though I'm sure some get away with it.

As with any weapon there is a chance it could be turned on you. Finally I agree that laser as weapon, however defensive-only is the intent, will lead to use escalation which is all-around not good.

Dave
 
Bond: Do you expect me to talk?

Goldfinger: No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!

I loves me some 007! Live and let die! YEAH!

You open a can of worms talking about lasers as weapons, it is definitely on the horizon. I'm sure DARPA and the Skunk Works, and all the other Secret Squirrel agencies and corporations already have prototypes that they are working on for weapons in all kinds of formats, hand held, shoulder fired, vehicle mounted, air to ground, ground to air, orbit to ground, ground to orbit, etc. Right now, using one in self-defense, is, as far as I know, unknown territory, and one thing I have noticed in the gun culture in regards to the law, is that YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE THE TEST CASE! Let someone else be the Guinea Pig!

But the question about LASERs coming under the 2A, yes, once they are classified as an "arm"/"armament" then yes, they should come under the 2A. HOWEVER, having said that, you can bet that the Nervous Nanny State folks will soon start whining about how "no one needs a LASER weapon!" And again the 2A speaks to a RIGHT, not a NEED. You can also bet the federal government will have LASER weapons, at which point WE THE PEOPLE will need them for balance of power. I know there are some on this forum that will disagree with that statement, and that is okay, they have a right to their opinion, but I also have a right to my opinion, and that is it, unless and until I change it.

Now, forget about using a LASER as a weapon, and go out and get a gun with a LASER sight, like a normal person, and learn how to put holes in things, the legal, accepted way, with bullets. ;)


ETA:
 
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A laser is too fine to hit the mark with confidence,
an LEP will stun, really stun,__________ as to give you time for what you need to do.
 
IMA SOL MAN said:
I'm sure DARPA and the Skunk Works, and all the other Secret Squirrel agencies and corporations already have prototypes that they are working on for weapons in all kinds of formats, hand held, shoulder fired, vehicle mounted, air to ground, ground to air, orbit to ground, ground to orbit, etc.
Click to expand...
Vehicle-mounted lasers are hardly a secret any more; see the infamous YAL-1, US Navy's AN/SEQ-3, the IDF's Iron Beam, the UK's Dragon Fire. There have also been some articles here and there about various multi-kW solid state lasers that could be put on gimballed mounts on multirole fighters for the likes of point defense; similar devices could also prove to be effective in the anti-drone role.

A couple decades of development in and these still remain largely experimental. In addition to operator safety concerns, simply delivering useful amounts of energy at the far end is challenging within atmosphere because of thermal blooming; the methods to compensate for this present additional complexity that compromise designs. Additionally atmospheric conditions make delivery of said energy difficult - thermal gradients, humidity, smoke/dust can all attenuate the energy if not alter the optical path to the target.

Man-portable devices look to be a good long ways off due to the previous complications as well as practical limits on electrical instantaneous power delivery in small packages.

IMA SOL MAN said:
And again the 2A speaks to a RIGHT, not a NEED.
[...]
I know there are some on this forum that will disagree with that statement, and that is okay, they have a right to their opinion, but I also have a right to my opinion, and that is it, unless and until I change it.
Click to expand...
The Underground is a better place for political discussions.
 
bykfixer said:
I'm big on the second amendment but there are some things the citizenry should not be allowed to own. Black Hawk helicopters, Sherman tanks, truck mounted 50 caliber machine guns and eye searing lasers to name a few.
Click to expand...
You are using exactly the same arguments gun control groups use, "they do not need ar's, no high cap mag, why would a civilian need a semi auto rifle.....etc" they know what others need better than those others themselves. there is a difference in the "parameters" but the formula and concept is the same.
People should be punished severely for misuse, and negligence, even more severely for malice, while using those, but outright decide people do not need it, how is that any different from how anti 2nd amendment groups operate
 
Cops know a 4 or 5 cell Maglite is a possible weapon. Hold it like a club with the reflector pointing toward someone. Blind them and crack their head. Quick submission. This is how cops use a Maglite instead of killing someone.
 
mrfixitman said:
Cops know a 4 or 5 cell Maglite is a possible weapon. Hold it like a club with the reflector pointing toward someone. Blind them and crack their head. Quick submission. This is how cops use a Maglite instead of killing someone.
Click to expand...
That is based more on TV actors than real life.

I went through the Police Academy in the early 80s and we were trained to never use a metal light as a striking weapon to the head.

I never saw a cop with a 4 or 5 cell maglite. Lots of security guards and wannabes had them.
 
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DRW said:
That is based more on TV actors than real life.

I went through the Police Academy in the early 80s and we were trained to never use a metal light as a striking weapon to the head.

I never saw a cop with a 4 or 5 cell maglite. Lots of security guards and wannabes had them.
Click to expand...
For sure a bouncer thing where the 4/5/6D maglite was a dual-use implement - could check IDs somewhat awkwardly or persuade rowdy patrons to stop doing something.
 
IMG_2371.jpeg
 
Iirc it was in law and order, a cop that held a Maglite on his shoulder, shined in the eyes, then smacked over the head. Just out of curiosity i tried holding a Maglite like in the move, and swing, 3d is a perfect size to swing with the wrist, anything more is too long, slow, 2d is too short
 
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